Saint Theodore Tiro

Theodore used this advantage to strengthen the other confessors and to animate them for martyrdom; and, wishing to signal his zeal and the hatred he bore toward idolatry through some action that would cast trouble and confusion among the pagans, he set fire to a temple dedicated to Cybele, whom these poor blind people called the Mother of the gods. He did not hide himself for this, nor did he deny his action; but, having been arrested, he frankly confessed that he was the author of this fire, and that he had done it to prevent the sacrileges that were committed every day in this place of abomination. The judge of the place, named Publ ius, to Publius Husband of Anastasia, ambassador to the King of Persia. ok cognizance of the fact, and, being unable to persuade Theodore to condemn this attack, to express regret for it, and to make amends by adoring the divinities of the empire, he had him whipped very cruelly and then locked in a dungeon, with orders to give him nothing to eat, but to let him die of hunger.

At night, Our Lord visited him, consoled him, and assured him that He would feed him Himself, without him having any need for corruptible food. This visit gave him such joy that he began to sing the praises of his sovereign Lord; and, at that very moment, the angels appeared in his prison, dressed in white robes to sing hymns of joy with him. The jailers and the guards themselves saw this spectacle. Publius, who had condemned him, saw it too; but neither the one nor the other converted; they only gave him an ounce of bread and a vessel of water every day, more to prolong his martyrdom than to prevent his death; but the Saint, to whom Our Lord had promised to be his provider Himself, refused these offerings.

He was therefore taken from the dungeon, great promises were made to him, and he was strongly urged to condescend to the wishes of the emperors; he was even told that if he would only feign the slightest submission, they would be satisfied, and would then let him live in freedom. He generously mocked all these impious proposals, and protested that they would never draw from him a single word or a single gesture against the fidelity he owed to his sovereign Lord. This response caused him to be whipped and his whole body to be torn with iron hooks; after which, to weary his patience, they burned his sides with burning torches. Finally, Publius, no longer able to endure the praises he gave to Jesus Christ in the greatest rigor of his torments, condemned him to be burned alive. The executioners pulled wood from the public baths that were in the vicinity, and, having bound the generous Confessor of the faith, they lit a great fire around him. Then Theodore armed himself with the sign of the cross, and, full of faith, hope, and pure love for his God, he rendered his beautiful soul to Him, laden with merits and triumphs. The Christians saw him ascend to heaven like a ray of fire and light.

A very pious woman, named Euse bia, ha Eusèbie Pious woman who collected and embalmed the body of the martyr. ving obtained the body of the holy Martyr, embalmed it, wrapped it in a very white shroud, and carried it to Euch Euchsite Episcopal city where the saint's body was transported. aita, an episcopal city dependent on the metropolis of Amasea, where she buried it in her own house. This is also the pla ce where Saint Theodore the saint Théodore le capitaine Another Saint Theodore commemorated in February, often confused with Tiro. General was buried: which is why, according to the r emark of Cardinal cardinal Baronius Church historian who inserted the saint into the Roman Martyrology. Baronius, one often confuses the two, and attributes to the one of the month of February what belongs to the one of the month of November. It is especially since the Crusades that his cult has spread in the West.

He is depicted: 1° in the armor of Diocletian's soldiers: a stained-glass window in Chartres Cathedral reproduces this characteristic; 2° burned alive by order of the persecutors, to punish him for having set fire to a temple of idols; 3° mounted on a white horse; 4° crowned with thorns: it is said that he endured this torture before that of the fire; 5° holding a leaded whip in his hand, because it is said he underwent this torture, although he only expired in the flames; 6° with a torch in his hand, because he set fire to a pagan temple.

He is the pa tron sa Brindes City of which Saint Theodore is the patron. int of Brindisi and Coulang Coulanges-les-Nevers French commune of which he is the patron saint. es-les-Nevers (Nièvre). He is invoked against storms.

Fat her Giry Père Giry French hagiographer, author of the version of the narrative presented. supplemented with the Characteristics of the Saints by Father Cahier.